Bottle closure and method of producing the same



Jul '12,1927.

y v o. N. TEVANDER 16355-10 emma cLosUR AND METHoD of* PRonUcING THE sm:

Filed may 2o, 1926 A v Y Y @A9/wlw Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' OLOF N. TEVANDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 STANDARD CAP & SEAL CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

BOTTLE CLOSURE ANI) METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME.

Application led May 20, 1926. Serial No. 110,447.

My invention relates to bottle closures and to a method of producing the same.

The method of my invention has a number of characteristics. Generally speaking, it consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle and about the bott-le neck, placing a ring about the cap skirt and bottle neck, contracting the ring into tight engagement with the cap by relatively moving adjacent portions oppositely and circumferentially, placing a bond between said ring portions that is inclusive of cement that will flux in response to heat, applying suficient heat in the region of said ringportions and bond to cause the cement to flux, and permitting the cement to harden While the ring is contracted to hold said ring portions in ring contracting relation. In the method, as preferably practiced, the ring is of such circumferential length 1that the adjacent portions thereof that are oppositely and circumferentially moved to contract the ring are brought into mutually lapping relation so that they may be merely torn r apart when the cap is to be removed to afford access to the bottle covered by the cap. The cement is desirably provided directly upon these ring portions whereby the ring, itself, is inclusive of a constituent which will ux in response to heat. The caps are Ausually formed of combustible material, such as paper, and the mutually lapping portions of the rings are preferably tinned so as to be readily fluxed by heat which will not harmfully burn the caps.

In the preferred way of practicing the method of my invention, the necessary heatis furnished by an electric current of suit-v.

able volume and pressure, passed through a portion of the ring, the ring being preferably metallic, and also throughk the tin coating thereon, this tin coating constituting the preferred form of cement that is adapted to flux in response to heat.

The bottle about which the cap is placed is externally enlarged at its mouth. In the structure of my invention, the ring is placed below this bottle enlargement and about the cap skirt and has mutually lapping portions that are united by a cement bond that holds vthese portions in ring contracting relation and permits these portions to be readily torn apart when the bottle is to be uncapped, at least one of the mutually lapping portions having an unattached end which may be grasped for this purpose. While this cement bond is' preferably applied or employed in accordance With the method of my invention, yet the structure of my invention 1s not to be limited to its production by my method nor is the method to be limited to the production of the structure of my invention. The ring is preferably formed of non-resilient metal so that it will not spring back into shape, in case of its enlargement by a tool in an effort to effect an unauthorized removal of the bottle cap. The enlargement pf the bottle in the region of its mouth will prevent the withdrawal of the ring over the bottle mouth, in case removal of the bottle cap is sought Without breaking the cement bond. l

The method and structure of my invention will be more fully explained in connec- Fig. 2 is a sectional View on line 2 2 of 4 Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion of the bottle in the zone of the ring, the mutually lapping: portions of the ring being shown in sect-ion in order to illustrate the tin or cement coating thereon; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the bottle as it appears in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a circuit arrangement whereby the cement coating' upon the mutually lapping portions of the ring may be heated to flux the same for the purpose of uniting these mutually lapping ring portions whilethey are in ring contracting rclation.

The bottle 1, illustrated, is one which is commonly employed for containing milk or cream. It has an external enlargement or surrounding bead 2 at the mouth of the bottle. It is customary to provide an annular seat 3 at the mouth of the bottle for receiving a paper closure disc 4, this closure disc, however, forming no essential part of my invention. A cap 5, preferably paper, is placed over the mouth of the bottle and over the closure disc 4, this cap having a skirt 6 integral therewith which is encircled by a ring 7 referably formed of non-resilient metal, tliis ring having mutually lapping circumferentially extending portions 8 and 9. A cement bond l0 is disposed betweensaid mutually lapping and circumferentially extending ring portions and serves to hold these portions in assembly, the bond being brought into its holding relation after the ring portions 8 and 9 have been drawn circumferentially and in opposite directions with suiiicient force to tightly hold the cap skirt aga-inst the neck of the bottle.y

The cap employed is preferably of the construction disclosed in Patent 1,117,147, dated November 10, 1914. Such a cap permits the ring to be tightly placed into its skirt Whereby the cap may have effective and sealing engagement with the bottle neck. The mutually|lapping portions 0f the ring desirably terminate in free ends 8', 9' which may be grasped by a suitable tool in order that the mutually lappinfr ring portions may he torn apart when the lbottle cap is tobe removed. One of the free end portions 8', 9', say the portion 9', is desirably sulciently long so that itmay' be grasped by the thumb and finger when the ring is to be broken. The two ring portions are desirably so related -that one portion, say the portion 8, is above the other so that both may take part in gripping the cap Without imposing undue strain upon the cement bond 10 between the mutually lapping ring portions.

The Wire of the ring is tinned, the tin coating of the ring Wire lluxing under a degree of heat Which will not materially burn the paper of the cap. The heat for lluxing the tin upon the mutually lapping portions of the ring may be furnished by three pairs of dry battery cells 11 coupled in parallel and furnishing a pressure of, say, about 5 volts. The current from these battery cells is desirably applied While the mutually lapping portions of the ring are tightly drawn circumferentially of the bottle neck and in opposite directions and to an extent sulficient to contract the ring, as desired. lVhen the current has caused thevtin upon the mutually lapping portions of the ring to flux, the circuit is opened and the tin is allowed to harden while the ring is contracted, the solder thereafter holding the mutually lapping ring portions in contracting relation. As illustrated in Fig. 5. the terminals 12 and 13 of the battery circuit are preferably applied to the .ring in a manner to include both mutually lapping ring portions directly therebetween. When the necessary fluXing has been effected, the terminals 12 and 13 may be removed or the circuit may be opened by the master switch 14, if desired.

It will be observed that the method of my invention is a material improvement upon the prior methods employed for contracting cap holding rings about the skirts of caps such` as disclosed in Patent 947,502, dated January 25, 1910. It will also be observed that the structure of my invention is a material improvement upon that disclosed in the first aforesaid Patent 1,117,147 in many respects among which is the ease with which the ring of my present invention may be broken vin order that the cap held thereby may be removed from the bottle it covers.

I do not Wish to be limited to the method herein disclosed for producing the product. It is obvious that changes may be made without departing from the invention. l

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck; placing a metallic ring about the cap skirt and bottle neck; contracting the ring into tight engagement with the cap by relatively moving adjacent ring portions opposit'ely and circumferentially; placing a bond between said ring portions that is inclusive of cement that will flux in response to heat; passing sufficient electric current through a portion of said ring to heat the ring Where adjacent the cement to a degree to flux the cement; and permitting the cement to harden While the ring is contracted to hold said ring portions in ring contracting relation.

2. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck; placing a metallic ring about the cap skirt and bottle neck; contracting the ring into tight engagement with the cap by relatively moving 'adjacent ring portions oppositely and circumferentially into mutually lapping relation; placing cement that will iiuX in response to heat between said mutually lapping ring portions; passing suflicient electric current through a portion of said ring to heat the ring Where adjacent the cement to a degree to flux the cement; and permitting the cement to harden While the ring is contracted to hold said mutually lapping ri/ng portions in ring contracting relation.v

3. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck: placing a metallic ringr about the cap skirt and bottle neck and which ring has cement upon a portion thereof that will flux in response to heat; contracting the ring into tight engagement with the cap by moving this ring portion and an adjacent ring portion relatively and oppositely and circumferentially into mutually lapping relation and to bring the cement between said mutually lapping ring portions; passing sufficient electric current through a portion of said ring to heat the ring Where adjacent the cement to a degree to flux the cement; and permitting the cement to harden While the )fill ring is. contracted to hold said mutually lapping ring portions 1n ring contracting relation.

.and aboutl the bottle neck; placing a metallic ring about the cap skirt and bottle neck and which ring has adjacent portions capable of fluxing when subject to heat that is insuiiicient to harinfully burn the cap; contracting the ring into tight engagement With the cap by relatively moving said ring por tions oppositely and circumferentially into mutually lapping relation; passing sufficient electric current through a portion of the ring toA heat said ring portions sufficiently to cause said ring portions to iux and insufficiently tocause the cap to burn; and placing the iluxed ring portions in contact and permitting them 'to cool While in mutually lapping ring contracting relation to hold these ring portionsin ring contracting relation.

5. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over 'the mouth of the bottle and about the 'bottle neck; placing a ring about the cap skirt and bottle neck; contracting the ring into tight engagement with the cap by relatively mov ing adjacent ring portions o positely and circumferentially; placing a bond between said ring portions that is inclusive of elec tric current conducting cement that will flux in response to heat; passing suiicient electric current through the cementuto flux it; andpermitting the cement to harden While the ring is contracted to hold said ring portions in ring contracting relation.

6. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck; placing a ring about the cap skirt and bottle neck; contracting the ring into tight engagement with the cap by relativel moving adjacent ring portions opposite y and circumferentially into mutually lapping relation; placing electric current conducting cement that will flux in response to heat be tween said mutually lapping ring portions; passing sutlicient electric current through the cement to flux it; and permitting the ce ment to harden while the ring is contracted to hold said mutually lapping ring portions 7. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck; placing a ring about the cap skirt and bottle neck andwhich ring has electric current conductin cement upon a portion thereof that wil flux in response to heat; contracting the rig into ltight engagement with the cap kby moving this ring portion land an adjacent ring portion relatively and Vally lapping relation and to bring the cement between said mutually lapping ring portions; passing sutlicient electric current through the cement to flux it; and permitting the cement to harden While the ring is contracted to hold said mutually lapping ring portions in ring contracting relation.

8. The method of sealing a bottlewhich consists in placing a skirted cap of combustible material over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck; placing a metallic ring about the cap skirt and bottle neck and which ring has adjacent portions capable ot' tluxing when subject to heat that is insuflicient to harmfully burn the cap; contracting the ring into tight engagement with the cap by relatively moving said ring portions oppositely; passing suflicient electric current through a portion of the ring to heat said ring portions sutciently to cause' said ring portions to flux and insuiiiciently to cause the cap to burn; and placing the luxed ring portions in contact and permittting them to cool While in ring contracting relation tov hold these ring portions in ring contracting relation.

9. `The method of sealing a bottle which ,consists in placing a skirted cap over the to hold said mutually lapping ring portions in ring contracting relation.

10. A bottle whose neck is externally enlarged at the mouth of the bottle; in combination` with a skirted cap placed over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck; and a metal ring tightly contracted about the skirt of the cap and bottle neck having mutually lappingportions extendin Acircumt'erentially of the ring` and provide-d with cement coatings upon their adjacent faces. prior to the application of the ring to the cap skirt, and whichcemcnt coatings iiux in response to heat, these coatings being luxed together to form a. cement bond between said ring portions; said ring beingr below the enlargement at the mouth of the skirt, which will flux in response to heat; contracting the ring byA relatively moving adjacent ring portions, inclusive of said cement portion, oppositely and circumferentially into mutually lapping relation; applying suticient heat in the region of said mutually lapping ring portions to flux the cement; and permitting the cem-cnt to hard-cn while the ring is contracted to hold said mutually lapping ring portions in ring contracting relation. y

12. The method of sealing a. bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck; placing a. ring about the cap skirt and mutually lapping ring portions; heating said cement toilux it; and permitting the cement to harden While the ring is contracted to hold said mutually lapping ring portions in ring contracting relation.

13. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a. skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle and about the bottle neck; placing a ring upon the cap skirt4 and bottle neck; contracting the ring by relatively moving adjacent ring portions oppositelyA and circumferentially; placing bonding cement which will flux in response to heat at said ring portions; -h-eating said cement to flux it; and 'permitting the. cementl vto harden while the ring is contracted to hold said ring portions in ring contracting relation.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

OLOF N. TEVANDER. 

